Refrigerator construction



, Aug. 30, 1949- J.vs. PALMER Erm.

Y REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2, 1945 fnl/@dof f xjn' fai/mer* and easier E Hin/fel Patentedl Aug. 30, 1949 REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION John S. Palmer, Chicago, and Lester H. Hinkel, Cicero, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,196

(Cl. 22o-9) 4 claims. 1

This invention relates to a refrigerator wall construction. More specifically it relates to an improved heat insulating connection between the inner and outer walls of a metallic refrigerator cabinet.

In the construction of refrigerators in which wood is entirely eliminated, there is always the problem existing of providing insulating means between inner and outer metallic wall surfaces. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved breaker strip conm struction for an all metal refrigeration cabinet.

The single figure of the drawings illustrates a top opening type of refrigeration cabinet or chest incorporating the breaker constructiony of the invention.

Although the construction illustrated could be used in a refrigerator cabinet having a front opening door, it is illustrated in a cabinet or chest having a top opening door. This type of construction is ordinarily used for milk can coolers, frozen foods, and also for. beverages. `It is desirable to have a substantial metallic .top surface for the wall to prevent damage thereto during insertion and removal of the containers. An outer metal vertical wall III is provided with a reverse bent portion I I at its upper end which provides a double thickness wall of reenforced strength. Spaced below the top edge I2. said reverse bent wall portion II is provided with a right-angle extension or ledge I2. A top wall or edge filling member I3 arranged in a horizontal plane is provided with a right angle bent down portion I4 and a horizontal portion I5 extending therefrom, said portion resting on the ledge I2'.

Said abutting members are secured together by' suitable means such as self-threading screws. The space between the walls Il vand vI4 is filled with a semi-plastic insulating material I6 which may be poured in a liquid'condition into the channel as said channel lies in a, horizontal plane.

terial, which is identied by the reference char` acter I3. The wallsIIl and I8 are actually the walls-of outer and inner metal tanks which are spaced from each other to provide for the insulating material I9. The outer end oi' the wall i8, which terminates a substatial distance below the horizontal wall I3, is formed with a reverse bent portion 20 and an adjoining upwardly bent portion 2| to form a channel for receiving a downwardly extending portion of a member 22. 'Said member has a right angled portion 23 and an upwardly extendingA portion 24 arranged in alinement with a downwardly extending portion 25 of an angle member 26, which is secured to the underneath surface of the horizontal wall I8. A breaker strip 21 of masonite or other similar rigid insulating material abuts the portions 24 and 25 overlapping said portions a suilicient distance to provide for attaching screws, as will hereinafter be described. p

Generally Z-shaped channelmembers 28 are arranged along the top and bottom of the outer face of the breaker strip 2. One leg portion of each of said members abuts the strip 21 overlying the portions 24 and 25. Screws secure said portions and the legs of said Z-shaped members in abutting relation with respect to the strip 2l.

The other legs 30 of the Z-shaped members extend outwardly in opposite directionswith respect to each other to form channels 3l for a purpose to be hereinafter described. It will be noted, as illustrated, in the upper Z-shaped member 28 that a portion 32 not in section and shown in full lines is cut away to permit access to a screw 33 which represents the means for securing the Z-shaped members in position. v Said Z- shaped members are also provided with openings 28 to permit asphalt filler and sealing material to iiow into the end spaces 32. A breaker strip member 34 of rubber-like material overlies the two Z-shaped members being provided with tonguesl 35 vwhich t into the channels 3l of the Z-shaped members to hold said breaker strip member in position. The outer legs 30 of the Z- shaped members fit into slots 36 formed between the tongues 35 and the main portion of the beeaker strip member.

The lower end of the breaker strip member has a curved lip portion 3'I adapted to engage the member 22. The upper edge portion of the breaker strip member 34 is adapted to abut a downwardly turned flange 39 formed on the inner edge of the horizontal wall I3.

An upwardly opening door 40 is illustrated,l

asma? ping walls to provide heat insulation and a leal therebetween in order to prevent heat flow from the inner door panel to the outer door panel. To hold said gasket in position, a reversibly directed lip 48 hooks over the edge ofthe wall 4l. The gasket member 44 is also provided with a hollow, substantially semi-cylindrical bead prtion 41 which abuts the wall Il to form a seal. Said gasket 44 is also provided withI a lip 48 adapted to overlie the flange 43 and to cover screws 49 which are used for securing the inner and outer door panels together.

The function of the structure as above set forth will be apparent from the following detailed dei scription. The gasket 44 seals the door with respect to the main portion of the cabinet in a conventional manner. The breaker strip 21 and the breaker strip member 34 provide a. wide gap to prevent the ilow of heat from the inner tank to the outer tank. It will be noted that the breaker strip member 34 has a projection 50 which substantially seals the space between the inner door panel 42 and the adjoining portion of the tank or chest construction. This prevents any substantial amount of circulation in the space between the two structures.

To further seal the inner and outer tanks against the entrance of moisture and to provide a permanent structure, sealing material I of a bituminous nature or a material having similar properties is filled to a substantial depth between the rigid breaker strip 21 and the Z-shaped members.

It should be understood that applicants have shown and described only a preferred embodiment of their improved breaker strip construction for refrigerators, and that they claim as their invention all modifications falling within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A breaker strip construction for refrigerators comprising in combination with a refrigeration cabinet having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a spacing wall extending from the outer wall to a point spaced from the termination of the inner wall, said spacing wall having a downturned flange at its extremity substantially in vertical alinement with the inner wall, an anglespaced breaker securing member xed to said spacing wall spaced inwardly from said flange, said inner wall being provided with an inwardly bent portion and a terminating flange in alignment with the flange on the securing member, a strip of rigid insulating material fitted against said aligned flanges, a seal securing member mounted along the top and bottom of the outer face of said insulating strip, said insulating strip and seal securing members being spaced from the downturned flange on the spacing wall and from the inwardly bent portion on the inner wall, each of said members being provided at their outer sides with channels opening in opposite directions to each other, said channels lying generally in a plane spaced from and parallellng the insulating strip, and a flexible rubber-like sealing element having lip portions engaged in said chanthe upper extending portion engaging the downturned flange on said spacing wall, and the lower extending portion engaging said inner wall, and the intermediate portion of the sealing element 4 and the strip of insulating material being in horizontally spaced relation to provide for increased flexing of the sealing element.

2. A breaker strip construction for refrigerators comprising in combination with a refrigeration cabinet having an inner vertical wall, an outer vertical wall, and a horizontal wall extending from the outer wall to a point spaced vertically above the termination of the inner wall. the space between the outer and inner walls being filled with an insulating material, said horizontal wall having a downturned flange at its extremity substantially in vertical alinement with the inner wall, an angle-shaped breaker-securing member ilxed to said horizontal wall spaced inwardly from said horizontal wall flange and being provided with a downturned flange, said inner wall being provided with an inwardly and upwardly bent flange, the upwardly bent flange being in alinement with the downturned flange of said securing member, a strip of rigid insulating material tted against said alined flanges, a seal securing member mounted along the top and bottom of the outer face of said insulating strip, each `of said members having inner and outer anges and being Z-shaped in cross-section thereby providing at their outer portions channels opening in opposite directions, that is, upwardly and downwardly, said outer portions being cut away at spaced intervals to provide access to the inner flanges which abut the insulating strip, securing elements extending through said inner flanges, through the insulating strip and through the alined anges on the securing member and the inner wall, and a flexible rubber-like sealing element having lip portions fitted over the outer flanges of the seal securing members and extending into the outwardly opening channels and having portions extending beyond said lip portions, the lower extending portion engaging the inner wall and the upwardly extending portion engaging the downturned flange on the horizontal wall, and a layer-like quantity of semi-plastic insulating material extending between the seal securing members in the space between the sealing element and the insulating strip, said quantity of material being in spaced relation to the intermediate portion of the sealing element to provide for increased flexing of the sealing element.

r 3. A breaker construction for refrigerators to reduce the ow of heat between two metallic wall portions comprising in combination with said wall portions two aligned spaced flanges, a rigid insulating strip fitted against said flanges, a pair oi parallel seal mounting members fitted on the insulating strip in spaced relation. each of said members having such configuration as to provide an internal channel or groove and an external channel or groove, a resilient seal member having lips fitted into the external channels of the seal mounting members and further extending lips tted against the metallic wall portions, and a layer-like quantity of semi-plastic insulating material overlying the insulating strip and entering the internal channels of the seal mounting members, the intermediate portion of the seal member and the quantity of' semi-plastic insulating material being spaced apart to provide for increased flexing of the seal member.

4. A breaker construction for refrigerators to reduce the flow of heat between two metallic wall portions comprising in combination with said wall portions two aligned spaced flanges. a rigid insulating strip tted against said flanges, a pair of parallel seal mounting members tted on the insulating strip in spaced relation, each of said members having such conguration as to providean internal channel or groove and an external channel orgroove, a resilient seal member adapted to be engaged by a closure member having lips tted into the external channels of the seal mounting members and further extending lips fitted against the metallic wall portions and additionally provided with an external longitudinallyl extending rib, and a layer-like quantity of semiplastic insulating`mater`ial overlying the insulating strip and entering theinternal channels of the seal mounting members, the intermediate portion of the seal member and the quantity of semi-plastic insulating material being spaced apart to provide for increased exing of the seal member. when -said external rib of said seal member engages a closure member. JOHN S. PALMER.

LESTER. H. HINKEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: y 

